Skinks of Greensboro

With summer approaching, for many, there is more opportunity to spend time out of doors exploring the flora and fauna of Greensboro. One creature you are likely to see is the little critter photographed above, a skink. Skinks are readily available in Greensboro. These reptiles are lizards and, while they resemble newts, newts are actually amphibians and are a type of salamander. Skinks live in a variety of habitats. They like to hide under things like logs where their predators cannot reach them. They like to be under leaves and in gardens where there are plenty of insects to eat. 

The skink above, spotted near the golf range at Bur-Mil Park, is one whose tail has been sacrificed to a predator, but whose life was spared. You can see the tail starting to regenerate and the skink, himself, looks well fed. The beauty of the extended hours of light of the warm summer days make nature watching in Greensboro's parks so much fun. 

Comments

[William Kendall]

I know we've got some up here, but out in the countryside.

[Lowell]

If it weren't for the color, although that's probably changed to fit in with the surface it is on, I'd say that's one of our lizard downs this away. Our Golden Retriever loved to chase them and the cats would get them if they could, but they're wonderful creatures and very important in keeping down pests like mosquitoes.